Bringing Back Annabel
by gollden sparrow
Summary: Owen and Whitney's points of view when Annabel tells them her story.  Just listen
1. Speak

It was hard for him to believe that she would leave him. Just up and leave him in the middle of the set! He thought they were closer than that, that they could talk to each other about anything. And it hurt, to think that she'd just run off. So now he sat there, on his bed, listening to music, and just thinking. "Owen?" His sister bounded through the door.

"What."

"Have you seen my top? The one with Jenny Reef on it?" She was positively beaming, her face looking like it might crack at any moment.

He just looked at her blankly for a moment, "No."

"Oh. How come Annabel hasn't been around lately?" She asks, no change in her mood, and then winks, "Agatha said she saw the two of you kiss."

Owen coughs, nearly choking on his spit before pushing Mallory out of the room, locking the door behind her. He tries to clear his mind, taking deep steady breaths and twirling his rings, but it doesn't work. His mind keeps replaying over and over again the kiss, how her lips were so soft and warm against his, the way it felt to have her whole body leaning into him.

He stopped, letting the feeling of warmth and bliss take over. There was no use denying the fact that he was hopelessly in love with the girl, and she didn't even know it. He made a face before turning over and falling to sleep.

BREAKBREAKBREAK

It was only a few weeks (very long ones granted) and then one day, when he was at the station, Annabel came. It was like suddenly he could breathe again, so he did, taking deep breaths, drinking her up. It was insane, the effect she had on him. But he turned to her never the less, looking her in the eye, and asked her, "Why couldn't you just tell me?"

She took a deep breath, her impossibly blue eyes shining, "I just couldn't, I wasn't ready."

"Annabel." Another deep breath, "You always tell me everything, you _can_ tell me anything."

He can see her shake slightly, before she sits on the counter, pulling her legs up towards her, "You have this image of me, that I'm this impossibly strong person. But that's not me! I'm not like you Owen."

His name falling off her tongue gave him shivers but he pushed them aside, focusing on her for the moment, "You are strong. I _know_ you Annabel. I know you."

"I just." She pauses and sucks in an impossibly large sigh, holding her breath before expelling it in a gust of air, "I don't want you to see me any different than you do. I don't want you to _hate _me."

His mind immediately turned to the worst, she'd lied tohime, she'd done something horrible, stolen, cheated. Pursing his lips he said, "So tell me, and I'll let you know what I think." And so she did, and all my previous thoughts when out the window.

She started off telling him about Clarke, and how Sophie had ruined their friendship, about the modeling and the parties, and her sisters, and then she got down to the part she'd been dreading and her voice started to shake, "Last May, Sophie, W-will and I went to this party. It was fun, we were dancing, and flirting, and just doing what you do at parties." Owen just looked at her, unsure of where she was going with this, "And then, I was looking for Sophie when I was-when I was yanked into this room. I didn't know what was happening at first and then I saw him, _Will_."

She spat out his name and Owen's blood ran cold. All of a sudden he didn't want to hear anymore, he didn't want to know the end to this story, because he already had a pretty good idea of what she was going to tell him. He thought he might explode if she said it, the tension building in his body was horrible but he let her go on, knowing that she needed to get it out.

"I asked him what he was doing, but he just shook his head, covering my mouth. _Shh, Annabel,_ he said, _it's just me._" She dragged a heaving sigh, "And I struggled and struggled, but it didn't work. It didn't work! And then he raped me." The pressure in his head spiked but suddenly Owen wasn't thinking of his own problems, it was just Annabel, everything was Annabel right now. "And it hurt so bad. And then Sophie walked in, and there was so much screaming and I was so confused. And I didn't know what to do."

There's tears falling down her face as she looks at him, her whole body trembling. For a second the world is just suspended, the two of them staring at each other, and then she asks, her voice thick with tears, "What do I do Owen?"

It's no more than a whisper, but he hears, and he gets up from the chair, goes to sit next to her, and takes her in his arms. He would have been content to sit there forever, Annabel snuggled into his body, her head resting on his shoulder. But he knew that it couldn't last. She would need to go. But she would be back, and they would have many more conversations.

Annabel clings to him, her hands clutching his shirt as if he was going to leave her. So he smooth's her hair and let's her cry. Knowing that when she's done there will be time for talk. But right now she just needed to let it out, needed to know that someone was there for her. Finally, after what seems like forever and a day, Annabel stops crying and lifts her head of his shoulder.

They don't say anything at first, but stare into each others eyes. It takes a moment but finally, Annabel opens her mouth, "Thank you." She says, "For listening."

Owen just holds her, "Thank you for telling me."

BREAKBREAKBREAK


	2. Awe and Admiration

It was family night, and they were all currently sitting on the couch waiting for Annabel. Whitney talked to Kirsten in the meantime, listening to her stories about classes, and Brian. It was fooling no one, Whitney thought, her constant talking about Brian. It was so obvious that they were together. It took a while but finally, when Annabel came down those stairs, Whitney could tell something was up.

She was back to that Annabel, the one that flinched at the mention of her name, the one who was scared of her own shadow, the one who came about last May. Her mother didn't seem to notice but instead of coming to sit down next to them Annabel paused in front of the television. "I need to talk to you guys."

Concerned, my father shut of the tv and leaned forward, holding his hand out, "What is it."

"It's, something I should have told you all a long time ago." Her voice was shaky, and Whitney could tell she was nervous. But instead of backing down in what was the tipical, Annabel fashion she took her father's hand and told them the story. It was heartbreaking for Whitney to hear, but the whole time she kept her eyes on Annabel's face. She could feel Kirsten tensing beside her, see her baby sister crying, but she promised herself she would not. She needed to keep strong for Annabel's sake.

When Annabel got to the part of the actual…rape. Whitney could not help but let out a tear, how could she have kept this from them for so long? How could she not have told them. Her poor baby sister, having to endure all of that pain alone, having everyone hate her for something she was victim to. And suddenly, all of her own insecurities, worries, pain. It all melted away. Because if Annabel could survive something that horrible, then surely Whitney had suffered nothing compared for her.

She was not saying that her own problems were nothing, but now they seemed to shrink, dissolve slightly. And a new awe for her sister was put in instead. When Annabel was done talking, Whitney and her father went into her room to look for the lawyers card. And when they came back down, Annabel was cradled inside Kirsten and their mothers arms, her face peaceful for the first time in a while.

_Hope you guys like the story so far! I'm not sure if I put a disclaimer in the first chapter or not but here it is, I do not own any of Sarah Dessen's amazing characters however much i wish too. *sigh* so sad. anyways. God I cried in the first chapter, cried in the second chapter. I'm turning into a wuss. A wuss that hopes you cry too :D_

_Peace._


	3. Sweet Bliss

Owen couldn't stop thinking about what that guy had done to Annabel, so he trudged out of the house, leaving behind his whining sister and her friends. Letting his mother deal with them. He made his way to the club, where a really lame band was currently playing. He was about to leave when he saw a vaguely familiar face, one that looked suspiciously like Will Cash's.

Suddenly, he was seeing red, fuming and furious. It was all he could do not to crack the guys head into a million different pieces. Instead, he walked calmly outside, where Will was sitting smoking a cigarette. He never had much patience for people who smoked, but then he supposed he didn't have patience for rapists either. Funny how that worked.

If Will hadn't said anything he probably could have walked away. Could have been content with seeing him get his ass arrested tomorrow at the trial, but of course, Will had to open that narcissistic mouth of his, "Hey man. Great band right?" He blew a plume of smoke in Owen's direction. "I saw this really hot girl in there and I was like, damn I gotta get some of that. But unfortunately, I have somewhere to be tomorrow. So I can't be sexin' up with some girl before then. Damn shame."

Will stood up, and as if registering the fury on Owens face took a step back. There was a brief pause in which the two just stared at each other, and then Will was being thrown back, the bones with his face connecting with those in Owen knuckles with a dull crunching sound. And then Owen sneered and stepped over him, "The band sucks."

Just like that he was walking away, already he regretted the punch. It wasn't going to do Annabel any good if Will showed up to the trial with a broken face. His lawyer might even be able to work it to his advantage. And yet, it had felt so good. His knuckles were still stinging in bittersweet satisfaction, a sadistic smile plastered on his face.

It only took a few minutes to get home but in those few minutes he was able to calm down. And the smile on his face was now replaced with a frown. He tried to walk in quietly, so as not to wake his mom, but of course she was still up, and staring right at him, "Where have you been?"

"Bendo." He said truthfully.

She looked at him closer now, the crease in his brow, to his frown, to his bloody knuckles, "God Owen! What did you do now?"

"It wasn't my intention I swear."

"It's never your intention! It always _just happens._ You can't live your life like this Owen! Punching every guy who pisses you off!" She was standing now, her arms raised high above her head.

"Mom, he didn't just piss me off okay?" He takes a deep breath, "This guy is a scum bag, the lowest of low. And I'm not saying what I did was right, but he deserved it."

"What did he do Owen? Did he push you? Insult your friend?" She rubs a hand over her face tiredly and suddenly he's tired too. Tired and mad.

Then he's seething, his skin boiling and brooding, rolling in waves over his anger, "He raped Annabel mom. And then a day before the trial he's at a club, smoking a cigarette, and talking about a girl he wants to sleep with. What was I supposed to do? Let him walk away?"

She just looks at him, "Oh. Honey. No." His mother rushes forward and wraps him up in her arms, "You mean that sweet blond girl? The one Mallory likes." He nods and she covers her mouth with her hand, tears brimming in her eyes, "Poor baby."

BREAKBREAKBREAK

Even though his mother was sympathetic she still had to punish him. Because of course she couldn't let his actions go unnoticed, however much he wanted her to. And when he finally convinced her to let him go it was too late, court had already started and he had failed Annabel. So, in his sadness, he sits down on the fountain in the courtyard, and waits.

It takes over an hour before he sees Annabel and when he does the courtyard is filled with people, but as soon as she steps into view he jumps up. She doesn't see him yet but he sees her, and she's happy, smiling softly at her family. This makes his heart jump in his chest, thinking that she wouldn't look that blissfull if Will had been deemed not guilty. It takes a moment but finally she spots him and walks over her face blank and unreadable.

"I'm so sorry I wasn't there." He tells her. She watches his face for a second before something seems to dawn on her.

"Owen." He can tells she's trying to fight a smile, the corners of her mouth twitching, her eyes twinkling. "What were you doing last night."

His breathing spikes and he gulps nervously, thinking that she knows _exactly_ what he was doing last night, "Just stuff."

"That's a placeholder." She lets a grin slip out.

"Somehow I thought you'd say that."

She laughs softly. "Oh come on you knew I'd say that."

"Yeah. I did."

"Owen." She states again, "What did you do to Will?"

"It was an accident I swear. It's just-" he paused and then started up the same way he did with his mom, telling her the whole story. At the end she just smiles.

"Do you regret it?"

"Yes and no." he looks down at her, her deep blue eyes twinkling back at him.

And then suddenly she's reaching up on her toes to kiss him. He can feel her families eyes on them, the people milling around them. But none of it matters, at that moment it's just the two of them, her body pressed tights against his, her mouth molded onto his own. It's a perfect moment.

And right now that was all that mattered.

_Ahhh! Squee! I was bursting with joy during that last part. I love writing those innocently sweet kiss scenes, they make my brain explode with fluff...in a good way haha. Anyways i hoped you all love it :D I worked super hard. *sigh* my fingertips are sore just for my readers (I hope i have readers) anyways, there will probably be about two more chapters, so please keep reading._

_Peace._


End file.
